The Good, The Bad and the Stupid
by Caltrix
Summary: Out of embarrassment, Bonnie never told John about her daughter, Cassidy. When Cass is attacked by bandits, Jack Marston saves her. A relationship blossoms instantly. OC/Jack. Rated M for language, violence and future smuts. Enjoy!


**Author's Note: My first Red Dead Redemption series, everyone. Should be a good one, folks, should be a good one. Like I said, the rating is for language, sex, violence, etc. I own nothing of Red Dead, all rights go to Rockstar. Leave a comment! Enjoy!**

Something wasn't right. Maybe it was the sun getting to her, but Cass wasn't blind. She'd seen the spotter ages ago, staring at their wagon through dark black binoculars. Cass glanced at Amos, who was driving her to Macfarlane's Ranch, to see if he had realized they were being stalked. His expression, happy and cheerful, told her differently.

"We're being followed." She said softly, more to herself than to him.

"What was that, Cassy?" Amos asked, cursing quietly as rain began to fall across the valley. Cass pulled her trench coat over her head and grumbled, scanning the land around them.

They drove on in silence. Cass settled back against her seat and relaxed. The spotter hadn't appeared since she last saw him, which had been almost ten minutes ago. _We're fine_, she thought. _Even if there had been a spotter, the ranch is close enough for walking distance._

Cass couldn't wait to see her mother again. They'd been away for so long, almost a month now. Bonnie never wanted to let others know that she, an unmarried woman, had a daughter when she was just young. Of course, most people that knew of her thought she was Amos's child, but that was untrue. Cass's real father, a man by the name of Jerome, was actually dead. He'd been killed while riding to Mexico to meet up with an old friend. Sad story, but things like this happened all the time.

Cass looked more like Jerome than Bonnie. She had light brown hair like his and the same rusty blue eyes, but held her mother's fine posture and build.

While away from Macfarlane's Ranch, Cass lived with her Uncle James in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He had a small house and a few acres of land where he raised cattle and sold them to farmers.

"Hello, there, sir."

The voice brought Cass back to her senses. She turned to the man who had passed them and instantly froze. It was the spotter, riding his sickly gray horse with all his glory. _Oh my god_. She pointed absentmindedly, and Amos glanced at her as if she had three eyes.

"You might want to get that lovely lady out of the rain," The spotter murmured, smiling. Cass winced as his grin was more green and brown than white. "She'll get sick in this weather."

Amos nodded, although he would have said more if the spotter hadn't have run off as soon as he'd finished speaking. Cass held the pistol in her dress pocket, her thumb skimming over the trigger. She'd never been so afraid in her life.

"Amos, hurry, I'm soaked." She said, her voice trembling.

"I guess he was right," Amos said, holding a hand to her forehead. "This rain must be getting you sick."

Suddenly a loud gunshot, followed by the distant rumble of hooves on dirt brought Amos's attention away from her. He looked behind his shoulder briefly and his eyes instantly widened. His grip tightened on the reigns and he quickly jumped off of the wagon, rushing to detach the horses from the transportation device.

Cass spun around and gasped. A row of probably twelve men were riding toward them, each of them firing their pistols into the air, yipping loudly. Amos yanked her from her seat and lifted her onto one of the horses.

"Go, hurry!" He ordered. Cass pulled her pistol free and held it close to her chest. Was this really happening? It had to be a dream.

"Not without you, Amos. Get on one of the others horses, they'll steal the wagon anyways-"

"It's not the wagon they want, Cass. It's the things that you brought. Your uncle sent you with money and printed rights." Amos interrupted her. He slapped the horse's rear roughly and Cass was instantly flying away from him.

She watched as the bandits circled Amos, one of them launching his lasso around her friend. Cass tore herself from the horse, falling in the process, but regained balance quickly. Two of the bandits had spotted her and were galloping her way.

Cass lifted her pistol and aimed at them only to when she could see the stubble on their chins, and then fired. The bandit she had shot lurched back, holding his shoulder.

"She shot me." He stated dumbly. Cass cocked the pistol again and fired at the other bandit, but she missed him completely. He jumped off of his horse and threw her to the ground, pressing his boot against her cheek.

"Now, little girl," He sneered. "You could walk away right now. Save yourself and your friend by answering one simple question for me," He leaned forward, his breath hot against her face. "Where is Jerome?"

Cass struggled to speak against the boot pressing harshly against her. She grasped his foot and pushed him away, crawling toward the direction to Macfarlane's Ranch. The bandit grabbed her foot and yanked, making her cry out in pain.

"You've made a bad mistake, sweetie." He growled, smacking the butt of his gun against her temple, and all she saw was darkness.

Jack had barely been in the United States for more than an hour after his father's death. He spent his time roaming Mexico, searching for the infamous Edgar Ross. When he found the bastard, Jack let him know how much of a devil he was. The impact of his Semi-Automatic had sent Ross flying back, water from the river lapping at his dead body.

Just as simply as that, Jack looted the body and was handsomely paid; or so that's how he sees it. Now what could he do? Help the wounded, feed the poor? There really wasn't meaning to his life. He was twenty and should have been married, maybe even already had kids. Abigail would have liked that.

Kicking softly at his stallion's sides, water dripping from his hat, Jack was hoping to reach Macfarlane's Ranch to stay in his father's little cottage there. He slowed his horse to a trot when he saw the still wagon ahead.

"Hello?" He called, stepping off of his horse. He peeked inside the wagon but saw nothing except for a few empty chests. Walking around the front, his stomach lurched at what he saw.

A man he once barely knew was lying dead in a pool of his own blood, his stomach ripped open by wolves and coyotes. The smell made him stagger back. How long had he laid like this? Two, three days? Jack reached for a strip of the wagon cover and pulled it carefully over Amos, hiding the scene from any passing travelers.

Jack searched around for anything else nearby. Amos wouldn't have taken a wagon alone, and even if he had been to pick something up, his attackers wouldn't have had the strength to take something like corn or wheat? He could be wrong, however. Stranger and stranger things occurred as he aged.

"Mister!" A soft rasp poked its way through the wind and rain. Jack turned in the direction of the sound, squinted his eyes. When he finally saw Cass, he was taken aback. How could she have survived a murder like this?

He ran forward and kneeled beside her, his hand grazing the bruise on the side of her forehead. He held her outstretched hand and lifted her into his arms. Jack thought he would recognize her, but she seemed unfamiliar to him. He held her tightly to him and climbed back onto his horse.

"Can you hear me?" He asked, draping his coat over her. She nodded numbly and closed her eyes as if she was going to sleep, but Jack quickly intervened.

"Where were you headed? What's your name?" He said. She opened her eyes and Jack was mesmerized by her blue orbs flecked with gold and brown.

"Macfarlane's Ranch," She answered. Jack was off toward the little settlement, holding on to her so she wouldn't fall. "My nam-name is Cassidy Macfarlane."

Jack knew the Macfarlane's well, but he'd surprisingly never heard of her. It took only a few minutes of riding to reach their destination. Trudging through the puddles of mud with Cass in his arms, Jack didn't wait to knock on the door of the large plantation home. Bonnie looked just as surprised as he did when he entered. Her gaze went to Cass and she screamed, running forward. She ran her hand across Cass's cheek.

"Where was she?" Bonnie asked, finger fluttered over the bruise at her temple.

"Found her and Amos in Hennigan's Stead," He sighed quietly. "Amos is gone, ma'am."

Tears welled in her eyes, but Bonnie was strong enough to deal with the loss. She guided Jack upstairs and into a medium sized room, where he set Cass down on the bed. Bonnie ran for the doctor, and Jack paused to glance at Cass. She smiled dimly, and he returned the warm gesture.

"Thank you." Cass whispered just as he was leaving. He turned back and smirked, before closing the door softly.

Bonnie was already back by the time he reached the door. She thanked him as well and hurried up the steps right behind the doctor.

"Ma'am," Jack said. She stopped and looked back down at him. "Who is Cassidy?"

She smiled kindly but Jack could tell she was having trouble with her words. He waited patiently, like a gentleman. His father had always taught him to let a woman have all the time she needed.

"She's my daughter."


End file.
